Residents and volunteer firefighters urge Macon County to approve 1¢ fire-district tax to replace aging trucks

Residents and volunteer firefighters from the Colesaja/Colasaja fire district told Macon County commissioners on June 10 that the district needs new apparatus and asked the board to approve a modest tax increase to pay for replacement trucks.

At a public hearing about the fiscal year 2025–26 budget, multiple speakers said the fire district’s frontline trucks are about 25–30 years old, parts are increasingly hard to obtain and pump testing and reliability are concerns. “If I have a fire at my house, I want to be assured that the fire truck will work adequately and pump water when needed,” Don Willis said. Willis gave homeowners’ cost examples if the tax rose by a penny: on a $200,000 house, “that’s only $20 more a year in tax.”

Volunteer crews and department leaders described equipment and operational needs. David Dabney, a volunteer who lives more than five miles from the department, said insurers treat homes outside that range…